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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28256712">i could scream forever (we are the poisoned youth)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/justprompts/pseuds/justprompts'>justprompts</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Australia, Draco Malfoy &amp; Ron Weasley Friendship, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, Draco Malfoy is Clueless About Muggle Things, F/M, Fluff, Hermione Granger &amp; Draco Malfoy Friendship, M/M, Muggles, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-Hogwarts, Random Encounters, Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:40:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,664</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28256712</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/justprompts/pseuds/justprompts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <span>The woman who opens the door looks really, really familiar. He's not sure why, but her brown eyes and her hair -</span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <span>"Monica Wilkins," she introduces, smiling confusedly. "You are...?"</span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <span>"Drake Black," he says, extending a hand. "I just moved in next door. So, I came - "</span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <span>"Oh, hello," a deep voice rings out from the back and a man appears, and Draco is suddenly sure he recognizes these people, but he can't pinpoint exactly where he's seen them -</span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <span>"Wendell Wilkins," he says, nodding and smiling pleasantly. "Its a pleasure. Come in, why don't you?"</span>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley/Blaise Zabini, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Mr Granger/Mrs Granger (Harry Potter), Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood, Theodore Nott/Pansy Parkinson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>105</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>He was rapidly becoming obsessed with Draco Malfoy</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. if you catch the train to nowhere</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>______________</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>
    <em>What happens to the heroes after wars?</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>They get their </span>
  <span>
    <em>trophy</em>
  </span>
  <span> girl, and their white picket fence and all their dreams come true, they get their hour and a half after midnight strikes and their cheesy love songs, </span>
  <span>
    <em>they get their starry nights and true lover's kiss</em>
  </span>
  <span>, they get their money and respect and admiration -</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>What happens to the </span>
  <span>
    <em>villains</em>
  </span>
  <span> after wars?</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>They go to prison </span>
  <span>
    <em>or</em>
  </span>
  <span> they die.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Or atleast they should. '</span>
  <span>
    <em>Should</em>
  </span>
  <span>' being the keyword here, because Potter's never been known for following the goddamn rules, and Draco knows he should be grateful, but its still so, </span>
  <span>
    <em>so hard,</em>
  </span>
  <span> all the spiteful glares and the taunting comments and the pure hatred dripping from people as they refuse him any service and the random hexes which </span>
  <span>
    <em>he can't retaliate to -</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>
    <em>Scum, filth, freak</em>
  </span>
  <span>, the man yells as he spits on him, throwing a stinging jinx behind his shoulder -</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Its on that last evening as his mother moves to their French Villa, the place they don't own on papers, but have all authority over, just with their blood, the same day that Draco's six months of House Arrest end, the same day he decides that he wants to do something so unlike himself, something to </span>
  <span>
    <em>spite everything he's ever been taught.</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Its not that hard, because everything he's been taught can be fit into </span>
  <span>
    <em>a box.</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>A box which belongs in </span>
  <span>
    <em>Britain</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Infact, if he zooms out and thinks about it, he knows exactly what to do. And its </span>
  <span>
    <em>painfully</em>
  </span>
  <span> easy.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He's been selling ancient, and highly valuable Malfoy antiques for quite some time, clearing Dark Artefacts, removing any signs that someone like the Dark Lord once lived in the same place where ninety percent of his nostalgic </span>
  <span>
    <em>childhood</em>
  </span>
  <span> memories were based.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>He has too much money at hand, because the fact about being house arrested, having trained house elves who don't require wizarding money to do any of the necessary jobs, having a father who may have had a murderous streak but was still the best manager of gold - </span>
  <span>
    <em>black or white -</em>
  </span>
  <span> that you could find - and having no more than five friends, all with their </span>
  <span>
    <em>own</em>
  </span>
  <span> problems and barely any time for him - </span>
  <span>
    <em>well</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He sits down in his father's study on one long, mind-numblingly boring evening and calculates and realizes that if he had a heir and</span>
  <span>
    <em> his heir had a heir, </em>
  </span>
  <span>they could all make do well without jobs, even after all the Malfoy vaults that the Ministry's seized as reparations.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>The thought is very </span>
  <span>
    <em>comforting</em>
  </span>
  <span>, on a fundamental level.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco Malfoy goes to the Wiltshire muggle village, buys a muggle world map and in a half drunken state, throws a muggle dart right at it. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>It sticks on a side with a loud, smacking ping.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>So, what </span>
  <span>
    <em>does</em>
  </span>
  <span> happen to villains after wars?</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>In Draco's case, they disappear.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>___________</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He would have bought an International Portkey, if anybody would deign to sell it to a Malfoy. It would have taken him the family solicitor and atleast three bribes to acquire one. So instead, he packs two suitcases, with only the bare minimum, connects his Vaults to an Extendable Pouch which he can retrieve Muggle and Wizarding money from at all times and goes to an </span>
  <span>
    <em>Airport</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Its nerve wracking, the fact that he's in a place all alone, with no idea what to do - just sort of following the security guard's incomplete and accidentally given instructions.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Well. That's not true.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He did contact Millie before leaving, Millicent Bulstrode is a half-blood, and she did give him small flip notes, which in block letters, tell him what to do. The first on them was to go to Blaise and get his documents forged. That had sounded fairly illegal, </span>
  <span>
    <em>but since when was Draco an expert on that matter?</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Blaise said as much with a smug smile, and handed him the perfectly done documents, a </span>
  <span>
    <em>VISA</em>
  </span>
  <span> and a passport and something called a </span>
  <span>
    <em>Driver's License</em>
  </span>
  <span> for one </span>
  <span>
    <em>Drake M. Black,</em>
  </span>
  <span> overnight, as Draco crashed on his sofa and ate something called a </span>
  <span>
    <em>pepperoni</em>
  </span>
  <span> pizza with Pansy.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"Its a muggle experience, Drake," she said, laughing and drunk. "The best one. Except weed, of course."</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>He had laughed along like he understood why muggles were apparently </span>
  <span>
    <em>eating garden flora.</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>The Airport was a fairly impressive place, with the ostentatious kind of building and decor that he could appreciate, if not like anymore. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>And his taxi driver played nice muggle songs the whole way, so he didn't feel that bored either. </span>
  <span>
    <em>"Give me a shout for your return journey, sir, if you need to,"</em>
  </span>
  <span> he added, hastily handing him a card with a bunch of random numbers, and Draco wondered whether he was even returning and if he was, how was he supposed to call the guy. </span>
  <span>
    <em>Did he just have to yell and he would appear?</em>
  </span>
  <span> It didn't sound doable.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>
    <em>( - TELL ANY LADY WITH A TIGHT BUN AND A WHITE UNIFORM THAT ITS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR YOU - )</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>So he manages his </span>
  <span>
    <em>Check In</em>
  </span>
  <span>, somehow - what kind of a name is check in, anyway? - and watches with a faint kind of horror as muggles allow other muggles, who they don't know at all, to touch them, to check their bodies for weapons. Its a </span>
  <span>
    <em>scary</em>
  </span>
  <span> kind of thought.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>
    <em>( - DON'T FREAK OUT WHEN HE INVADES YOUR SPACE, HE'S BEING PAID TO DO THAT - )</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>The muggle who checks him, asks him why he has a piece of wood in his pocket and so he spins quite a tale about it being from a </span>
  <span>
    <em>holy hawthorn tree and that he needs to give it to his spiritually taoist grandmother who's currently dying</em>
  </span>
  <span> in Byron Bay, Australia. The guy concedes and sends him off with a,</span>
  <span>
    <em> "That's a nice tattoo you have there."</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He doesn't correct him.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Instead, he goes to the busy area, food court, they call it and orders himself another pepperoni pizza and a carbonated drink. He would never admit it, but Pansy was right. It was quite good. Its even better in his sober state.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>_____________</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>
    <em>"Are you a fairy?"</em>
  </span>
  <span> the no-older-than-six-years girl in front of him asks immediately, her hands going towards his hair, before her mother pulls her back, apologises and then, makes her apologise too. Its such a familiar routine, that Draco wants to sob.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>When her mother sleeps, she jumps out of her seat, popping up again in front of Draco's. "So, are you?"</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"I assure you, I'm one hundred percent </span>
  <span>
    <em>human</em>
  </span>
  <span>," he says seriously. "Fairies are much </span>
  <span>
    <em>smaller</em>
  </span>
  <span> in size."</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"They are, aren't they?" she says, so knowingly that Draco wonders for a moment if she's actually seen one. "Why're you dressed in a suit? Are you going somewhere for an </span>
  <span>
    <em>off-ici-al</em>
  </span>
  <span> meeting? 'Coz that's when </span>
  <span>
    <em>my</em>
  </span>
  <span> daddy wears his suits."</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"I - not exactly," Draco says and wonders when he got so comfortable in these that he doesn't even realise it anymore. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>He would wager when he was the girl's age. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"Not an official meeting."</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"</span>
  <span>
    <em>My</em>
  </span>
  <span> name is Katherine," she says, without further ado, extending a pudgy hand with a sticker on the back of her palm.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"Drake," he says, shaking it.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"My mummy says I talk too much," she says, narrowing her eyes at him. "Do </span>
  <span>
    <em>you</em>
  </span>
  <span> think so, too?"</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"No," he lies. "You talk much lesser than most of my friends."</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>That sufficiently satisfies her, and she starts off a whole story about a classmate who talks in his sleep and a sleepover and a ghost impression with torches and white sheets.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"You should try it with black sheets," he says, shrugging. "Worked for me."</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>She speaks and speaks - and Draco learns that muggle kids do know about magic, even if its a little faulty, but they forget when they get older?</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>That's </span>
  <span>
    <em>Katherine's</em>
  </span>
  <span> theory, anyway.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco doesn't know if all muggle kids are like this, but this one is </span>
  <span>
    <em>an absolute hellion.</em>
  </span>
  <br/>
<br/>
<span>She has these plastic things called rubber bands and she spends a whole hour striking people with them. They never catch her. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>She tells Draco about the time a boy called Brandon tried to kiss her, so she bit him and lost a tooth. "Look," she says, proudly, pointing to a gap in her upper jaw. "It broke off and got stuck on Brandon's </span>
  <span>
    <em>face</em>
  </span>
  <span> till he screamed and took it out."</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>She's obsessed with something called </span>
  <span>
    <em>pterodactyls, </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>with a 'p!' </em>
  </span>
  <span>- and she insists that they're real and alive - and since Draco knows that everything she's said before this had also been true, he agrees.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He hums and nods and says '</span>
  <span>
    <em>yes</em>
  </span>
  <span>' and '</span>
  <span>
    <em>no</em>
  </span>
  <span>' at all the right places and that seems to satisfy her - a demand which is almost reasonable compared to what everyone else expects of him. They're ten hours in, with a nap and two meals, when the girl says, "Now I'm gonna show you something that I haven't even shown </span>
  <span>
    <em>my mum</em>
  </span>
  <span> yet."</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He's just about to protest, when she pulls two actual guinea pigs out of her bag.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>They blink at him owlishly and one of them lets out a small sound, which Kathy covers with a loud, fake squeal and her mother doesn't even stir - as she explains how easy it is to sneak past airport security.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"Their names are Merlin and Champagne," she says, haughtily - pointing to each one in turn.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco's respect for muggle children zooms up </span>
  <span>
    <em>instantly</em>
  </span>
  <span>, even though he's pretty sure this is how hardened criminals start off.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"Merlin is my </span>
  <span>
    <em>warlock</em>
  </span>
  <span> hero," she tells him. "But champagne is my friend. Atleast, that's what daddy says."</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Its only after they land and exchange solemn farewells, which again, the mother apologizes for, that Draco realizes he hasn't smiled so much in a day since really long.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>_____________</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco's driver is quite a chatter. But they reach the small villa that Draco's bought soon. There's only one house near his, and he's heard something about muggles socializing with their neighbours.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>
    <em>Why not?</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He strides across the road and knocks twice on the door, firmly, plastering a smile on his face.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>The woman who opens the door looks really, really familiar. He's not sure why, but her brown eyes and her hair -</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"Monica Wilkins," she introduces, smiling confusedly. "You are...?"</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"Drake Black," he says, extending a hand. "I just moved in next door. So, I came to - "</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"Oh, </span>
  <span>
    <em>hello</em>
  </span>
  <span>," a deep voice rings out from the back and a man appears, and Draco is suddenly sure he recognizes these people, but he can't pinpoint exactly where he's seen them -</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"Wendell Wilkins," he says, nodding and smiling pleasantly. "Its a pleasure. Come in, why don't you?"</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Are all muggles this </span>
  <span>
    <em>trusting?</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He goes inside, dragging his feet on the welcome mat once, and walks through from the corridor to the living room. Its filled with recent photos of the couple and souvenirs from places, none of which look beyond two years old. They must be new here, too, he decides as the lady brings him a teacup and pours steaming tea from a kettle.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"Just moved in, have you?" she asks, with a kind smile.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"Yes," he nods. "Just today."</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"Need any help with settling down, dear?" she asks and Draco can't explain that he's settled in already, it took him barely half an hour with his wand, so he refuses politely.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"You have a </span>
  <span>
    <em>British</em>
  </span>
  <span> accent," the man says, abruptly, staring through the window.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"Er - yes. That's where I'm from, originally," he explains. "Needed to get away for a while."</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>When they nod thoughtfully, he asks where in England they're from, after all, </span>
  <span>
    <em>their</em>
  </span>
  <span> accents are English too.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco sees confusion flash through their eyes before they refuse and say that </span>
  <span>
    <em>they've just always wanted to travel to Australia.</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>_____________</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Its in the second week of his stay, he's been sightseeing, travelling around, seeing muggle historical sites - that he realises that something </span>
  <span>
    <em>really</em>
  </span>
  <span> is wrong. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>He's been noticing strange things but they all seem to have an explanation if he sits down and thinks.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Mrs. Wilkins, '</span>
  <span>
    <em>Call me, Monica, dear!'</em>
  </span>
  <span> is sitting in his dining room and they're eating the cookies she baked that afternoon, when she suddenly says, "You know, Draco, dear," she's started calling him that as a nickname, "The sugar in these </span>
  <span>
    <em>exacerbates</em>
  </span>
  <span> the effects of the weakened enamel."</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He passes her a quizzical look because he has absolutely no idea what she just said.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>She slowly shakes her head and suddenly, her eyes glaze over. Which is when Draco realizes, they were clear only for a second, when she berated sugar, and otherwise, the eye color he's come to think of as her normal shade, isn't actually her true color.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"I just - I used to tell her to not eat them," she said, still shaking her head. "I don't know if she listened, but she usually did - </span>
  <span>
    <em>brillant</em>
  </span>
  <span> child she is, really - "</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco wonders who she's talking about and whether he should investigate further into this. Its just that - Monica and Wendell are so - </span>
  <span>
    <em>ordinary</em>
  </span>
  <span>. There's nothing about them that instantly says foulplay, and they seem happy all the time. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Nobody is actively harming them, he can tell.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"</span>
  <span>
    <em>Oh</em>
  </span>
  <span>, have another one," she says, blinking and offering him the tin. "What were we talking about, again?"</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He decides to give it some more time.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>_____________</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>In his third week, he comes out of the Wilkins' home and runs straight into </span>
  <span>
    <em>Hermione Granger.</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>When he gets up, she's fuming, her hair flying wild around her as usual, and Draco realizes </span>
  <span>
    <em>where</em>
  </span>
  <span> he's seen that particular shade of </span>
  <span>
    <em>brown eyes, </em>
  </span>
  <span>as she presses her wand to his neck and demands, "How did you find them? </span>
  <span>
    <em>What did you do?"</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>_____________</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>beginning inspired by <em>Way Down We Go by xiaq</em>, which is one of my most favorite drarry fics ever &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. when we were young, we played hide and seek</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>_____________</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco is sitting on the couch in the Wilkins' or apparently, the </span>
  <span>
    <em>Grangers</em>
  </span>
  <span> - like Hermione </span>
  <span>
    <em>fucking</em>
  </span>
  <span> Granger tells him, shouts it really, rubbing his lower neck which has a circular burn mark on it that she unconsciously made with her wand in all her misguided self righteous rage.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Frankly, Draco can see how he deserved that much, </span>
  <span>
    <em>for different reasons</em>
  </span>
  <span> than she thought, </span>
  <span>
    <em>if nothing else.</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"So - er - you both know each other?" Mrs. Wilkins, who had earlier stared at Granger with absolutely no recognition, says tightly. "Because I don't really understand why you would </span>
  <span>
    <em>attack</em>
  </span>
  <span> an </span>
  <span>
    <em>innocent</em>
  </span>
  <span> man - "</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Granger and Draco both snort at the same time and then glare at each other. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Monica and Wendell exchange glances. Granger's stare intensifies - and Draco feels absolutely bewildered, because if these really are </span>
  <span>
    <em>Granger's parents</em>
  </span>
  <span>, what the hell happened to -</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Oh. </span>
  <span>
    <em>Oh, no</em>
  </span>
  <span>, she didn't, </span>
  <span>
    <em>no way</em>
  </span>
  <span>. Granger </span>
  <span>
    <em>wouldn't</em>
  </span>
  <span> do that, would she -</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"I know this may be hard to believe," Granger says, sighing. "But - I - I'm your - um. Have you ever had problem recalling parts of your life? Or maybe, maybe had some flashbacks or visions or </span>
  <span>
    <em>something - ?"</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>She's clearly struggling. Her uneasy fidgeting increases when they give her blank stares.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco wonders why </span>
  <span>
    <em>he's</em>
  </span>
  <span> still sitting there.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"They do," he says, finally, when they fail to reply. "They have these strange blank spaceouts where they talk about - er - </span>
  <span>
    <em>teeth?"</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Granger looks extremely angry and a little grateful at the same time.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"I should probably," she rummages through her pocket and brings out a small notebook kind of thing, and flips it open. It has photographs, Draco realises. "And - I promise this isn't some elaborate prank. Its actually - they're - I mean, you both are </span>
  <span>
    <em>my - "</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>
    <em>Isn't she supposed to be the eloquent one in their little trio?</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco feels oddly sorry for Wendell and Monica as they glance at the pictures, disbelieving at first, confused next, and finally horrified - even as he leans down to see the pictures. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Granger jerks a little but she doesn't immediately hex him, so Draco takes that as reluctant approval.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>They're all family pictures, frozen the way Muggle photos are, of clearly, Granger and the couple - who must, at some point, have been the Grangers, instead of the Wilkins. </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>He can see a really </span>
  <span>
    <em>tiny</em>
  </span>
  <span> Granger with something metallic all over her teeth as she beams widely, he's forgotten the way her hair used to be, all wild and frizzy, there are pictures of her with birthday caps and cakes with Wendell and Monica clapping, there's her with a bandaged arm, there's one photo of the three of them on an actual </span>
  <span>
    <em>elephant</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Maybe Muggles do that for recreation or - travelling maybe, he doesn't know. How </span>
  <span>
    <em>strange</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>There's Granger's first day of school. Granger at a Christmas party with her parents. Granger in a kitchen with a juice box in her hand, as Monica cooks at the back, smiling.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"I always felt something was missing from - " Monica whispers, her eyes sort of watery. "How did - "</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Granger brings out her wand and shows it, explaining slowly that </span>
  <span>
    <em>magic is real. </em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco wonders if all muggles react with so much wonder when even little sparks are shown. Granger transfigures the tea coaster into a toad and back. Wendell's jaw unclenches, his eyes wide.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>" - and well - there was a war. In the Wizarding World. And you might have been targets. I didn't want to - to endanger your lives so I - "</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"You erased their </span>
  <span>
    <em>memories</em>
  </span>
  <span>," Draco finishes, quietly, shaking his head bemusedly - as Granger exhales in a huff and her parents start looking a little alarmed. "You really are </span>
  <span>
    <em>fucking ruthless,</em>
  </span>
  <span> Granger."</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He almost meant it with awe, and coming from a Slytherin, it was grudgingly brillant. </span>
  <span>
    <em>Foolproof</em>
  </span>
  <span>. But clearly, he's hit a sore spot, because Granger's eyes immediately flash with anger as she sneers.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"And you're a </span>
  <span>
    <em>bullying</em>
  </span>
  <span> git and a bigoted </span>
  <span>
    <em>Death</em>
  </span>
  
  <span>
    <em>Eater</em>
  </span>
  <span>," she says, lip curled in disgust. "Are we just listing facts, here?"</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco inhales shakily, nods as evenly as he can and gets up from the couch, biting his lip - </span>
  <span>
    <em>because this was a mistake, wasn't it? </em>
  </span>
  <span>Its a shame though, because he was learning so much about muggles, and he was beginning to genuinely like Wendell and Monica, a lot.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>He obviously can never meet them again.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"And well, if I reverse the spell that I used to suppress your memories," she continues as Draco walks out. "I'm afraid they would be too much to handle all together. I'm hoping to unlock a few parts of your memories manually, and use the </span>
  <span>
    <em>counter-curse </em>
  </span>
  <span>in around a week - "</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"I'll just be going then," Draco says with finality, because they atleast deserve a goodbye from him, when he's at the door of the living room. Granger doesn't react, but Monica looks up from the album like she's just seen him.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"Oh, no, dear, sit for a while longer, </span>
  <span>
    <em>why don't you?</em>
  </span>
  <span>" Monica asks beseechingly, looking at him like he's the </span>
  <span>
    <em>better</em>
  </span>
  <span> one here. "We've just got to know all this and - wait," she blinks, "Are you a - a </span>
  <span>
    <em>wizard</em>
  </span>
  <span>, too, then?"</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco nods, raising an eyebrow at Granger and slowly bringing out his wand. Wendell looks overwhelmed as he glances at Granger and says firmly, "Drake, sit please. We've clearly got a </span>
  <span>
    <em>lot</em>
  </span>
  <span> to talk about."</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Granger looks kind of heartbroken and also furious, when she realises that her own parents don't yet fully trust her. "It's </span>
  <span>
    <em>Draco</em>
  </span>
  <span>," she still snaps out.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Draco doesn't know whose fault is it really.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>But he would be lying if he said that he didn't feel a </span>
  <span>
    <em>little</em>
  </span>
  <span> vindictive delight when he sat back down on the sofa.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>____________</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"Remember Draco Malfoy?" Hermione says, without preamble on her first fire-call from Australia. Its late evening in London.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Harry passes her an incredulous glance as Ron snorts.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"Can't very well </span>
  <span>
    <em>forget</em>
  </span>
  <span> him, can we?" Ron says, brows furrowed in confusion because of Hermione bringing him up randomly.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>Harry feels an old streak of curiosity flaring inside him.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"He left, though, didn't he?" Harry asks, even as Ron and Hermione turn to him, frowning resignedly, like '</span>
  <span>
    <em>obviously you would know that, Harry' </em>
  </span>
  <span>- as he smiles a little sheepishly. "Malfoy Manor's been empty for almost a month, I guess? I heard Narcissa and Malfoy, Draco I mean, moved to France, possibly because - "</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"Narcissa might have moved to France," Hermione interrupts, with a grimace. "But guess who I met in </span>
  <span>
    <em>Australia</em>
  </span>
  <span>?"</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Harry raises an eyebrow as Ron whistles lowly with realisation. "No way," Ron says, laughing without humor, his face a little screwed up. "You found the Ferret there too?"</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>"I didn't just find him," Hermione says, with a sigh and Harry resists the urge to either ask her everything she knows about him and what he's doing there - or </span>
  <span>
    <em>to just run through the fireplace and see for himself</em>
  </span>
  <span>. "He lives near my parents' new house. She pulls a face like she's disgusted, "He's apparently </span>
  <span>
    <em>friends</em>
  </span>
  <span> with Monica and Wendell Wilkins."</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>There's a long pause, until Ron snorts and starts laughing, with a crowing, "</span>
  <span>
    <em>Malfoy is friends with muggles" </em>
  </span>
  <span>- and Hermione glares at him. She can also probably see the cogs in Harry's brain turning.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>"Small world, huh?" he says, when Hermione's smile becomes too knowing for his comfort.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Ron changes the topic easily and they talk a little about whether her parents' memories are returning easily, about Hogwarts' reconstruction and Auror Training, which Ron is loving and Harry is doing too, less enthusiastically, but he's definitely there.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>They talk a little about the other Weasleys, until Ginny comes up and Ron awkwardly changes topics again, because he's under the delusion that Harry was heartbroken when Ginny broke up with him, and that it wasn't actually a </span>
  <span>
    <em>mutual</em>
  </span>
  <span> decision.</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>When the floo-call ends, Ron and Harry both apparate to the Burrow for dinner, like Mrs. Weasley made them promise and Harry doesn't even realise how much he's thinking into it, until he's back at Grimmauld Place - he's really worked with Kreacher to improve the state of the one room where he sleeps - and changing into his night clothes, when the thought comes quite suddenly. </span>
  <span>
    <em>And for about the hundredth time.</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>What is Malfoy </span>
  <span>
    <em>up to</em>
  </span>
  <span> in </span>
  <span>
    <em>Muggle</em>
  </span>
  <span> Australia?</span><br/>
<br/>
<span>He's </span>
  <span>
    <em>got to be upto something, right?</em>
  </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>Harry wonders how soon could he go to visit Hermione, for </span>
  <span>
    <em>helping her with her parents,</em>
  </span>
  <span> of course?</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<span>____________</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you liked this, read my other works too ;))<br/><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27988995">if i couldn't be strong (would you still love me the same?)</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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